Do-it-yourself lighting at the feet in a car: detailed description, photo

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Many car enthusiasts are often interested in installing lights in the legs in the car. After all, such tuning can not only improve the situation, but completely transform even the most ordinary car. A well-chosen shade of backlight, properly connected lighting will give your car a completely new look, will delight not only you, but also attract the eyes of passengers.

How does the backlight device work?

In fact, much depends on the preferences of the owner of the car. For example, the backlight at the feet in a car can light up when turned on from the factory lighting system when the doors are opened. It can also be controlled by an electronic unit (ECU). In addition, you can combine the two above options at once. To illuminate the lower part of the car interior, neon strips are most often used, which are connected to the door opening sensor. Another part of the cabin can be illuminated with LEDs that are connected through the blockswitch.

LED backlight

Before using LED footwell lighting in a car, it is important to study all its features and benefits:

1. The first thing worth noting is the speed and ease of installation work.
2. You don't need to buy any special tools to mount the emitters. In most cases, the surface of the tape is covered with an adhesive solution, which makes it easy to attach it to any surface.
3. Because individual LEDs are small, they can even be attached to sockets for standard standard bulbs.
4. This lighting option is often used to create light music or original lighting effects due to instant ignition.
5. Sealed LED strip resistant to mechanical damage. Due to the long service life, the diodes almost do not burn out, unless their polarity is reversed during installation work.

Neon lights

Let's consider the advantages and features of the operation of neon lights at the feet in a car:

1. This lamp option has a rich and bright light.
2. The backlight design is difficult to install.
3. Lamps are demanding to use.
4. Neon is "afraid" of frequent turning off and on, so it will be very difficult to organize light music from them.
5. This backlight option does not withstand significant mechanical stress.

Installation of LEDribbons

LED backlight in the legs in the car can be attached according to the scheme, which is the same for all brands of cars. For installation you will need:

• shrink plastic tube;
• wires, the cross section of which is 4 x 0.5 mm;
• single diodes and LED strip (it is allowed to use pre-assembled SMD 5050 strip, but its cost is many times higher, so it's best to buy RGB strip, which is sold by the meter).

It is allowed to mount the backlight on the instrument panel, in places where salon lamps are located, and in those areas where factory lighting elements are installed. Regular lamps have the same base as single LEDs. Therefore, if necessary, they can be easily replaced.

After that, determine the mounting location of the backlight. Initially, you should measure the desired length of the tape. You can cut it only in certain places where the contacts for soldering are located. The wire should be measured so that its length is enough to the ignition switch (it is best to provide a small margin). Sequence of actions:

• Cut the wire and strip the ends.
• Solder the finished ends to the tape.
• Tighten the heat shrink tube.
• Use a lighter or household hair dryer to warm it up until it puffs.

The same principle works with other pieces of tape. Next, you need to remove the shipping film from the back of the LED strip and stick it in a pre-designated place. Everything is hiding under the lining of the rackswires and, if necessary, are reduced under the torpedo on the driver's side.

Installing neon lights for legs in a car

First, you should mount special emitters, for which the following materials will be needed:

• nylon ties;
• self-tapping screws;
• metal corner (usually aluminum);
• neon diodes.

Saw off a corner according to the size of the emitter and screw it under the torpedo with self-tapping screws. Please note that the light should fall down directly under the feet. After that, fix the emitter with clamps to the metal corner. The same actions should be performed with the illumination of passenger seats in the car. Many mechanics advise to screw the corner upside down on the rear seats, protecting the emitter from all kinds of mechanical damage during the operation of the car.

Carefully lay the wires and pull them to the dashboard on the driver's side. Be sure to insulate them at the junctions. When connecting, the wires are connected to the door open sensor and the interior light switch / switch. This will allow, when opening the car door and turning on the lighting, to “light up” additional lighting under your feet.

Connecting backlight to interior lighting

In most cases, do-it-yourself footlights in a car are attached in the car to the regular interior lighting. It will only function when the car doors are opened, or when the lights are on. To connect backlight to lightinginterior, you need to dismantle the ceiling (most often it is mounted on simple clips, although you will need a screwdriver to remove it).

Next you need to connect the wires. Connect the positive to the white wire and the negative to the red wire. After that, hide the wires under the skin. It is best to stretch them along the side rack. After that, connect the wiring of the LEDs at the feet of the passenger and the driver and the passenger, and only then connect the entire structure to power. Before insulating contacts and connections, be sure to check the operation of the lighting. You can additionally put a controller, then the light will fade smoothly, and not suddenly go out.

Cigarette lighter backlight

If you connect the lighting from the cigarette lighter, then the lighting will light up only from the side of the open door of the car. Many experts note that this is very convenient, since the backlight is needed only when disembarking and landing a passenger. The plus of the diode must be connected to the cigarette lighter, and the minus to the door limit switch. The wiring on the car door can be taken out through the same passage through which all the wiring to the door runs. More often than not, however, you will need to completely remove the panel to do this.

Illumination from parking lights

The backlight under your feet in the car will always be on, even at night, if you connect it to external lighting. If you want to be able to turn it off at any time, then you should install a switch in advance. To connect the positive wire, "power" from any light on the instrument panel, and throw the minus on the car body.

Lighting for the feet in the car "VolkswagenPolo" and other car brands is an original option to decorate your car without significant financial costs. Mounting the backlight is simple, because it will require quite a bit: consumables, LED or neon strip, tools and a little imagination.